IslandVoices

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Recording Details: Lowell Huestis:

00:00:00 -- 00:00:35 Dutch Thompson is introducing Lowell Huestis, well known broadcaster, and focusing the camera. 
 00:00:35 -- 00:06:45 In this discussion he talks about Huestis family, 9 generation of Huestis on PEI, his family moving family home from lot 14 to Albany 1880s, grandfather Jesse working for Joseph Read Company, and listening to Amos and Andy, trout fishing and special permit for gasoline; Bedeque, history, family, Loyalists, lot 14, Albany, house, Summerside, 1880s, work, weighing coal, coal carts, ML Bradshaw, grandfather, Amos and Andy, radio, fishing, trout, gasoline, war, car, traveling, picnic. 
 00:06:45 -- 00:12:09 In this discussion he talks about his grandfather weighing coal, and the building he worked in, the use of horses in his time, delivering coal, his grandmother Minnie Leard and the fishing expedition; weighing, coal, grandfather, coal carts, horses, 1928, coal men, mail, Minnie Leard, fishing, trout, fishermen, pop. 
 00:12:09 -- 00:13:11 Lowell Huestis is showing a photograph of his grandmother and grandfather along with other family, it was taken in the late 40s; photo, 1940s, grandparents. 
 00:13:11 -- 00:18:13 In this discussion he talks about his grandmother Min again, home remedies, his mother Florence Mae Rainer and her parents, working on their farm during the war, 300 acres of farmland, having 2 weeks off of school for potato picking; grandparents, fishing, trout, cooking, remedies, cod liver oil, mustard plaster, mother, Cascumpeque, farm, berries, horses, hay, potatoes, 1936. 
 00:18:13 -- 00:25:18 In this discussion he talks about his uncle Lowell Hancock and coming to PEI to start his fox farm, Sun Globe Brand: puff wheat cereal, keeping farm animals in city yards; uncle, Ohio, fox farm, fox, 1930s, cereal, Vitamins, wheat, fox feed, Three Oaks, cattle, farms, chickens. 
 00:25:18 -- 00:31:58 In this discussion he talks about music and his uncle Harold in Joe Bunn’s band, and the Old Timer’s with his father and aunt, Lowell played in school band, Bluenotes and a fill-in for dances, his job in the radio business; music, banjo, drums, piano, family music, Albany, cello, 2000, band, instruments, band members, 1947, radio stations, CHGS, Holman’s, March 31, 1948, CRJW, announcers, November 1948. 
 00:31:58 -- 00:40:20 In this discussion he continues to talk about working for Holman’s radio station, love of Glenn Miller Orchestra, live music, radio mistakes, being around for closing of CHGS and opening of CRJW; radio, announcer, Holman’s, freight elevator, Glenn Miller Orchestra, music, December 1945, Paris, live, bands, microphone, studio, Wisemen radio auctions, ads. 
 00:40:20 -- 00:41:54 Sudden end of conversation, Dutch Thompson commenting asking questions and making facial expressions. 
 00:41:54 -- 00:45:42 In this discussion he continues to talk about working with and at CRJW, training new announcers, his father also worked as announcer at CHGS and going to work with him; CRJW, radio, announcers, training, CBC, Chris Thomas, station, Paul H. Schurman, church service, Reverend Harding. 
 00:45:42 -- 00:52:52 In this discussion he talks about Island history and interviewing older generations about their history, stories of a light following passengers home, George MacKay and a German submarine during war time, Jim Stevenson and the first air mail flight; history, interviews, flaming ship, Northumberland Strait, H.B. and Kay Wood, Victoria, light, stories, marsh gas, water, radar station, Tignish, 1943, WWII, submarine, German, pilot, 1921, air mail. 
 00:52:52 -- 00:59:37 In this discussion he continues to talk about people he interviewed, Maxim Gallant and playing jokes at wakes in the home, Weldy Phipps and stories of being a prisoner of war during WWII, Clovey Perry the rum runner, Reverend Robert McClure; Egmont Bay, wakes, joke, prisoner, WWII, escape, pilot, 50s, 60s, North, rum runner, China, illness, help. 
 00:59:37 -- 01:11:54 In this discussion he talks about a story of a $1000 bill and Mrs. Arsenault, his father Albert being a fruit and vegetable inspector, his big family and Christmas time, his schooling at Summerside High School, hockey and teammates; radio, 1980s, contest, 1000, potatoes, shipping, Ford, family, siblings, music, Christmas, 1930s, guitar, school, 1941, 1942, airplanes, hockey, Abbies, Crystals, 1950s. 
 01:11:54 -- 01:16:36 In this discussion he talks about Island history, his paintings of the airbase in Summerside, trains, trying to hold onto the history; history, painting, planes, airbase, flying, media, steam engine, Kensington. 
 01:16:36 -- 01:17:26 A break in the conversation, Lowell showing one of his paintings of a plane crash. 
 01:17:26 -- 01:23:21 In this discussion he talks about a painting he did of a plane crash at Cape Tryon and the story behind it, and divers looking for the sunken ship 35 years later, train crashes; 1943, airplanes, water, gasoline, sunken, 1982, divers. 
 01:23:21 -- 01:26:39 A switch in the conversation, closeups of Lowell’s paintings of the steam engine and the plane crash, conversation on steam engines, and lighthouses left on all winter for airplanes; paintings, 1943, steam engines, paintings, lighthouse. 
 01:26:39 -- 01:33:49 In this discussion he continues to talk about his paintings, the worst train crash at Handrahan’s Cutting, painting of the plane bringing in mail, and the night train to Borden Carleton from Charlottetown, and his wife Doreen getting him into painting; train, crash, 1932, Tignish, foreman, snow drift, planes, airmail, painting. 
 01:33:49 -- 01:39:32 In this discussion he talks about changes from when he was a boy in Summerside, where they did their shopping, the air force and airbase, his son Ronald and music, ending the interview; airport, 1928, planes, malls, Holman’s, shopping, air force, blackout, son, music. 
 01:39:32 -- 01:44:28 A break in the tape, and a discussion on woodcarvings of ducks trouts, airplanes, and a mermaid, showing a picture of the mermaid, mention of Walter Fowler and Junior Jones; woodcarving, airplanes, mermaid. 
 01:44:28 -- 01:59:52 Another break in the tape, Dutch Thompson facial expressions, questions, and intros and outros, and more closeups of the wooden mermaid, Lowell Hancock’s fox business, the handmade cello, etc. 
 Tape ends at 01:59:52.

Overview:

Interviewee(s):
Huestis, Lowell

Playing Time:
01:59:52

Interview Date(s):
2001-02-24

Interview Summary:
This interview is with Lowell Huestis from Summerside, PEI. He talks about what Summerside was like as boy, his family and his uncle Lowell Hancock. His love for airplanes, trains and music, the airbase in Summerside, painting and woodcarving, his time as a broadcater at CHGS and CRJW, and all the people he interviewed, and his love for Island history.

Place(s) Discussed:
Summerside, PE

Time(s) Discussed:
1800s, 1928, 1940s, 1936, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1943, 1921, WWII, 1982, 1932, 1941, 1942

Rights Information:
Reg "Dutch" Thompson holds copyright for all archival material in this digital collection -- photos, audio recordings, field notes, etc. -- unless otherwise noted. All content is made available for the sole purpose of research and private study, and may not be reproduced or otherwise re-purposed without the permission of the rightsholder(s). Please direct inquiries to UPEI Robertson Library.

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